I’ve never wanted to be captain … Joe Root must stay, says Ben Stokes

Speaking at the Sydney Cricket Ground three days before the start of the fourth Test, Stokes said: “The most important opinions are those guys in the dressing room and they [Root and Silverwood] have got our full support. Captaincy is more than about setting fields or picking the team or making decisions out there in the middle. A captain is someone you want to go out and play for. Joe Root is someone I always want to play for.

“Chris Silverwood is exactly the same. He’s a real players’ coach. He stands up for you as individuals and players as well. All the hype in the media recently about their futures, they know full well they have the support of everyone in there and that’s all that matters.” After isolating with his family in Melbourne, Silverwood has

tested positive for Covid-19 and will remain in isolation until January 8. He remains asymptomatic and in good health.

Silverwood is the most likely fall guy no matter how the series finishes, but an improved performance would help Root who retains the support of key figures at ECB. Ashley Giles, Silverwood’s boss, landed in Sydney over the weekend, but was waiting on a negative PCR test before joining the team, while former England one-day captain, Adam Hollioake, who had been enlisted to provide support for the stand-in head coach, Graham Thorpe, had to pull out when a close contact tested positive.

The chaotic feel to events generally was exacerbated at Sunday’s practice session when two local net bowlers, already engaged in bowling at England’s batsmen, tested positive for Covid after pre-ground entry tests. Although Cricket Australia (CA) insisted these reflected prior infection and did not pose a risk, it led to the withdrawal of all the net bowlers, leaving England’s seamers to carry the load: fresh from hearing news of his father’s OBE in the New Year’s Honours, Mark Wood ran in with his usual gusto and Stuart Broad, potentially in line to replace Ollie Robinson, had a long stint.

It is a small miracle that, with the exception of Travis Head, who will miss the Sydney Test, the outbreak has yet to affect either set of players significantly. The rising rates in Sydney and Melbourne especially have begun to decimate availability in the Big Bash League, which is running concurrently with the Ashes series. The match between Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers yesterday was scheduled to go ahead, despite ten players and eight staff having tested positive for the Stars, and four for the Scorchers.

The Sydney Test will turn pink in memory of Jane McGrath, late wife of the Australia former great fast bowler Glenn McGrath, and each year monies are raised for the McGrath Foundation, which supports those families suffering through a diagnosis of breast cancer. McGrath tested positive for Covid over the weekend, and will require a negative PCR test before he is able to attend the third day, the Jane McGrath day.

Against this backdrop, CA is determined to plough on with the series. Bradley Hazzard, the New South Wales health minister, described the Sydney Test as “sacred” and especially important this year as a sign of a return to normality, while the financial implications of a cancellation for CA would be significant.

So far, England players have toed the line — in public at least — with Zak Crawley saying that he was “absolutely comfortable” with the Test going ahead and that he, at least, would be fine if Covid protocols were tightened further. All Australia’s players returned negative Tests yesterday and England’s underwent a further round of testing, their seventh in the past eight days.

Crawley and Stokes were among the batsmen forced to make do at a practice session resembling that from a generation ago, with coaching support down to a minimum and players taking up responsibility to throw balls to each other. “The next couple of days are about getting what you can out of the resources we have available. You have to do your own stuff; look after yourself and your own preparation,” said Stokes.

Stokes has endured a tricky return to the team after missing a large chunk of the summer to look after his mental wellbeing and a finger injury suffered in the Indian Premier League. He has struggled to impose himself on the series, with a top score of 34 in six innings and a three-wicket haul his best with the ball. He has looked as though he has found it hard to get up to speed for the intensity of Ashes cricket.

He reflected on the last hour on the second day at Melbourne, where he rated the bowling from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins as good as he has seen and said it was the first time he had been taken aback by an atmosphere in the ground, so wild and frenzied was it. For Stokes to say that shows the challenge faced by some of England’s younger, less experienced players. Nathan Lyon, the spinner, suggested there would be no let up in the desire for a 4-0 or 5-0 scoreline.

Should that happen, the calls on Stokes to replace Root will intensify, but Stokes was adamant he has given this eventuality little thought. “I’ve never really had an ambition to be a captain. That’s totally Joe’s decision. He shouldn’t be forced into doing it. I’m sure Cooky [Alastair Cook] felt the same way. He did it for so long. When he knew his time was up, his time was up. Those discussions haven’t been entered anywhere near Joe, yet.

“He’s brought this team a long way. He’s done some great things. Obviously this series hasn’t gone too well. Not from a captaincy point of view but from a team and results point of view. Unfortunately, the captain and coach bear the scrutiny for that but there are ten other guys out there beside the captain.”

-The Sunday Times